The Solaire: Contemporary Green Homes
Located in the
Battery Park City
district on 20 River Terrace, the Solaire is New York City’s first
green residential use building. It was completed in 2003, near the site
of the former World Trade Center and is mostly occupied by people
working on Wall Street. Wikipedia indicates that starting rents ranged
between $2500 and $6000 depending on the size. Quite expensive, yet the
rent premium of 5% over neighboring similar buildings is said to be
attributed to health benefits relative to the indoor air quality. Let’s
see what this 27 floor residential tower has to offer and what we can
learn from this green construction.
LEED Certification:
The building
obtained the voluntary
internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) green building certification. LEED offers
practical and measurable green building design, construction,
operations and maintenance solutions, and evaluates eight
performance key areas. These are the four possible levels a
building can obtain: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum. The Solaire
achieved the level Gold (41 points).
Energy Efficiency:
Thanks to,
amongst others,
photovoltaic panels that use solar energy to generate 5% of the
building's energy at peak loading, a design assuring daylight
maximization and common areas being equipped with occupation and
daylight sensors, the Solaire uses 35% less energy than normal building
required standards. All 293 residences are equipped with energy star
appliances, programmable digital thermostats and master shut-off
switches. This results in lower utility costs for the tenants and 67%
lower energy demands during peak hours.
Water Conservation:
As well as
conserving energy, the
Solaire is designed in a way that allows it to use 50% less potable
water than a similar-size residential building. None of the potable
water is used outdoors. A blackwater system is included in the building
and recuperates 100% of the wastewater to supply the cooling tower and
toilets. Another cool thing they do with part of this recuperated water
is providing 5000 gallons per day for the adjacent public park.
The building
includes rooftop gardens
and a vegetated roof that corresponds to 57% of the site area. The soil
rests on a water retention layer helping the vegetation use most of the
storm water before it reaches the infrastructure. The rest of storm
water is recuperated thanks to an arrangement permitting to stock 10
000 gallons of this water in the basement in a tank with a treatment
system. The water is then used for the irrigation of rooftop gardens.
These gardens, that contain bamboo, perennials and other
self-sustaining shrubs, are pesticide free and provide natural
insulation for the building as well as a cooling effect through the
process of evapotranspiration. Resistance to wind damage,
self-sustainability and adaptability to shallow soils were considered
for the choice of planting materials.
Indoor Air:
The heating,
ventilating and air
conditioning system is fueled by natural gas and is free of ozone
depleting fragments. It assures every unit with filtered and humidified
fresh air. The occupants may also choose between fresh or conditioned
air thanks to the seven-day digitally programmable thermostats and
operable windows. The outdoor air intakes were located in order to be
far from pollution sources and positive air pressure is maintained in
the building avoiding entry of pollutants. The indoor garage is even
equipped with CO2
monitors.
Another thing contributing to better indoor air, both for humans and the environment are the use of materials containing no or low volatile organic compounds (VOC). VOCs include methane that is a greenhouse gas. Other important VOCs contribute to smog, allergic sensitization and asthmatic symptoms.
Other Environmental Advantages:
Environmental
considerations also
included the materials used to build the Solaire. About 67% of the
construction material was manufactured within a 500 miles radius and
made of 19% recycled materials. More than 93% of the project’s
construction waste was recycled. The wood used was provided from
sustainable forests.
The 580-some residents of the Solaire are encouraged to practice green living. The residences are well located in order to access public transportation. The tenants may also rent hybrid cars, leave their bicycles in the onsite bicycle parking or use the electric vehicle charging. They have access to green dry-cleaning and are informed on how to practice water conservation.
